Posted on 08/31/2005 7:20:56 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Rod Ryan never thought he'd allow a dog in the house, but this week, he's got three dogs and a cat. Not to mention eight human visitors holed up in his four-bedroom home.
Ryan, morning radio jock at KTBZ-FM (94.5) found common ground with untold numbers of Houstonians this week when he opened his home to friends from New Orleans.
People donate money for disasters half a world away, but when it happens so close to home, the reaction is more intimate. Houston shares more than geography with New Orleans and Mississippi — family and religious ties, a love of Cajun cuisine and music and, for many people, personal memories.
"So many people here have been on Bourbon Street, so many people have been to the casinos on the Mississippi coast," said Ryan. "People can relate, because they've been there." And because we could be next.
"I think we know it could be us," said Suzie Daum, who took in friends from Metairie, La.
Approved shelters
Many people here have called the American Red Cross, offering to open their homes. The Red Cross can't be the go-between, said Denise Bishop, spokeswoman for the Houston chapter. "We strictly deal in approved Red Cross shelters."
She understands the urge. "Everyone who lived here during Allison remembers what that felt like."
Tory May, a cantor at Congregation Gates of Prayer in Metairie, and her two sons arrived last weekend to stay with the Daums. Other members of May's congregation are scattered all across Houston — Barbara Raynor of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston said that many of the 10,000 members of the New Orleans Jewish community came to Houston.
"Most people from New Orleans have family here (in Houston)," said Adam Bronstone, community relations director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, who was settling into temporary quarters at the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston Tuesday. "We know people we can call on that live here."
Disaster experience
Organizations like the Jewish Federation and the Red Cross are experienced at disaster relief. For other people, Katrina is an introduction.
Amani Jambhekar and three friends, all Pearland High School graduates who will begin their freshman year at Tulane University whenever classes begin, are trying to raise money for the Red Cross. "We were all fortunate enough to get out before the hurricane hit, fortunate to have other homes to which we can go," she said. "We just wanted to do something for the people there."
jeannie.kever@chron.com
LINKS to stories, videos, photos and service and government groups
Buses prepared to bring Superdome refugees to Astrodome***NEW ORLEANS — As Army engineers struggled without success to plug New Orleans' breached levees with sandbags and water continued to rise, Texas officials have worked out a plan to bring up to 23,000 refugees from the Superdome to Houston's Astrodome.
The Houston Chronicle has learned hurricane refugees trapped in the Superdome and elsewhere will be bused to the Astrodome in over 400 buses under plans being put together by state and local officials.
Rusty Cornelius, administrative coordinator for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said the refugees being bused to Houston would not necessarily be on the road at the same time. He said specifics of the transport and housing for the refugees were still being worked out with the Red Cross and state government officials.
"We want to accommodate those people as quickly as possible for the simple reason they have been through a horrible ordeal,'' he said.
Kathy Walt, a spokeswoman for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, said Texas still hasn't received a formal request from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco. But, Walt added, the Louisiana secretary of state requested Texas's help in an overnight phone call.
The governor's office has been told the Astrodome's events schedule has been cleared through December, and Harris County Judge Robert Eckels said the county would be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency....................***
Radio Saigon matches 500 storm victims with volunteers "We had fallen, and someone noticed." ***....11 guests for the night Nguyen, the mother of two, was at the market to pick up some groceries. She ended up taking home the entire 11-member Tran family instead. ....***
Blanco needs to get off the Larry King show and on the friggin' phone.
Good Lord, I've never seen such a wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time in my life. She is completely in over her head here. And I'm loathe to say that in a time of crisis - but her incompetence is grossly affecting the crisis.
It's jaw dropping.
You'd think that Perry wouldn't wait for a "formal request" to mobilize resources.
This guy I know, a transplant from NO to the Houston area, has 15 people staying with him and his wife...15....
It sounds like he's already doing what he can. But he really can't move Texas assets into Lousiana until the governor requests it.
Instead, she's simpering on TV interviews. How many school buses are upstate? Declare a one-week school holiday throughout the state and comandeer 2,500 school buses to New Orleans - load up the people and get them to the Astrodome.
Moving 80,000 people would have been easier before the storm. But it still ain't rocket science now. It doesn't even have to be precisely organized. Just get the buses down there and start loading them, and have the Guard maintain order at the pickup point. We don't have time for anything else.
The President of our School Board has 19 in her home and the guest bedrooms of her neighbors. Her family is from Slidel
She's a real-world Peter Principle subject unfolding in real time. It's painful to watch and unfortunately, those who voted her in aren't in a position to see their results. By the time they get through their devastation, she and the MSM will have spun her complete incompetence into some sort of heroic guidance through the turmoil.
They may be there a while.
"I've never seen such a wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time in my life. She is completely in over her head here. And I'm loathe to say that in a time of crisis -but her incompetence is grossly affecting the crisis."
From what I have seen and heard of him, the mayor of New Orleans is the same as the governor -- in WAY over his head!
The hard left is insane and beyond salvage. They will continue to yell. We need to get moderates and conservatives to yell louder at all elected officials to go back to their budgets, remove all pork and re-allocate that money for securing the survivors and rebuilding New Orleans somewhere safer - probably up NW of Baton Rouge, where the Atchafalya diverts off, because that's gonna become the Mississippi River some day anyway.
Outstanding!!
And what a pity Bill Clinton can't be in office to blubber and adorn himself with their misery.
they're saying to give money, toiletries (including portable toilets), clothing to the Red Cross, which will be overseeing the operation at the old Astro Dome (So glad to see that place put to a worthy cause!) They will also need volunteers, at some point, so people are encouraged to contact the Red Cross.
9 posted on 08/31/2005 12:40:47 PM EDT by GOP_Thug_Mom (Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions)
Texas is opening its doors to hurricane refugees from neighboring Louisiana.
Texas Governor Rick Perry says he expects evacuees to start arriving within the next 24 hours at the Houston Astrodome. He says Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco asked him this morning if the Astrodome could house the 23-thousand people currently being sheltered at the Superdome in Louisiana, and he quickly agreed. He says even before the request, Texas officials had been talking about using the Astrodome as a long-term shelter for people already stranded in Texas because of the storm.
Perry says the hurricane survivors are welcome in Texas for "as long as they want to stay." Children who are sheltered at the Astrodome will be able to attend public schools in Houston. Perry says the Astrodome schedule has been cleared through December.
I am truly impressed at all of the things Texas and Texans are doing for their neighbors in need. There seems to be no end to the stories of their generosity and kindness.
God bless Texas!
Letters from a FReeper - Americans head out to help family, friends and strangers hurt by Katrina***..........I just got back from the supply stores. Friends are leaving around midnight tonight. The problem with e-mail from MS is unknown. Friend's spouse is an architect so they are bringing the laptop. As far as my address, I will gladly link to a thread when there is more to report. At this time, water, gatorade, first-aide kit, fresh towels, soap, toiletries, mega food items (non-parishable) childrens motrin, fresh sheets and anything they can fit in the camper are going tonight. Thank you for your support. This is a treck I wish I could make, but I am doing what I can a this point. (young daughter in schoool) I am sure a few of us or many could make a great difference in the quality of life for many. You would not believe what a cup of coffee can do or a can soup will do after dredging in the heat all day! I remember last summer here in Florida (after 3 hurricanes). The heat and disparity can be unbearable. ...........***
thanks for the ping
I cannot BELIEVE the sheer ignorance of these "officials" in LA! They definitely need to stay off of the television because it's hard not to watch them and say, "so, this is how N.O. got here!..."
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